Mobile ashtray



Dec. 12, 1939. BARBE 2,183,419

MOBILE ASHTRAY Filed Aug. 6, 1936 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z e 2 v I Z0 Z7 J 4 Z0 /9 /5 /5 f5 '27 22 6 Z8 52 24 55 Z 5 f9 54 it, w

INVENTOR. EDGE If DHRDE BY g w 7a .M

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 12, 1939. E. H. BARBE MOBILE AEHTRAYI Filed Aug. 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l2 INVENT OR.

EDGAR H DHRDE ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED. STATES means A rATEuT orgies MOBILE ASHTRAY Edgar H. Barb, Santa Monica, Calif. Application August 6, 1936, Serial No. 94,513

1 Claim.

This invention relates'to mobile ashtrays and particularly pertains to the type of tray shown in Patent No. 1,905,123 issued April 25, 1933.

At the present time there is a demand for an ashtray of the pedestal type which may be easily moved from place to place and which is not liable to be accidentally overturned. It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a mobile ashtray which may be easily moved and when set in a desired position will not move therefrom due to irregularities and inclination in the surface upon which it is resting, and which furthermore will resist overturning if accidentally struck while yielding to the impact and'will'thereafter automatically restore itself to its upright position after the impact, the said structure being formed of a. relative few parts of simple construction which may be quickly and securely assembledand which will provide a column and base for an ashtray having the characteristics here described. The present invention contemplates the provision of a supporting column for carrying an ashtray and elements for the accommodation of other smoking accessories, and which column is mounted upon a mobile base with relation to which it may have oscillatory movement, the column being counterbalanced so that it will be restored to its upright position, the counterbalance 30 alsoyacting to maintain the base in a desired position of equilibrium, said base structure being formed in two major parts receiving the counterbalance and the lower end of the column.

The invention is illustrated by way of example 35 in the. accompanying drawings, in which:

. Figure 1 is a viewfin front elevation and vertical section showing a form of the present invention particularly disclosing the construction of the mobile base. 40 Fig. 2,is a view in side elevation and vertical section showing the structure of Fig. l with the near side shell and its bearing removed and dis closing the counterweight arrangement.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in end elevation as seen online 3-3 of 1 showing the bearing structure with the housing element removed.

Fig. 4 is a view in central vertical section drawn on an enlarged scale showing the detail construction of the fragmentary portion of the,

spherical counterweight as indicated in dotted lines.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it indicates a column mounted upon a base I I. The column may be of any desired design and construction, it being here shown as having a cylindrical receptacle 12 at the upper'end of which is mounted an outwardly flaring ashtray 93 through which a tubular standard it extends. The upper end of the standard may be fitted with a cover plate I5 flaring downwardly into the mouth of the ashtray l3 to close the opening in the bottom of the ashtray and to normally prevent cominunication between the cylindrical receptacle I'Z. This receptacle is formed with a base It at its lower end which is vertically slidable upon the standard l4 and isheld in its uppermost position by a spring l'l carried upon the standard l4 and pressing upwardly against a spider l8 secured within the receptacle and through which the standard is slidably mounted. The ashtray structure is of the general. design shown in Patent No. 1,833,517 entitled Ashtray receptacle and cover. and issued November 24, 1931. the upper end of the standard M, such as for example as a bayonet pin I9 carrying a cigar or cigarette rest 29 and a handle lighter or match holder 2!. The bayonet pin it also acts to hold the cover plate l5 of the ashtray in position. The tubular standard M is provided'at its lower end with a fastening rod 22. This rod has an upward cylindrical portion 23 suitably fastened within the end of the standard Hi and a lower cylindrical portion 24 which extends into the bore of arm 25 of a counterweight 26. The lower cylindrical portion 24 of the rod is secured within member 25 by a set screw 21. A relative flat neck 28 occurs between and connects the portions 23 and. 24 of the supporting rod 22 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Extending transversely through the counterweight arm 25 is bore 29 which receives suitable anti-friction bearing members such as roller bearings 30. The roller bearings receivea central axle 3! which is free to rotate within the bearings and extends outwardly from opposite sides thereof. Annular lock grooves 32- are formed circumferentially of the axle 3i and are spaced a distance from the side faces of the arm 25 sufilciently to accommodate washers 33. Split lock rings 36 may be seated within each of the grooves 32, one of which occurs at each side of the counterweight arm 25 thereby holding the counterweight arm against longitudinal move- Any suitable fitting may be placed upon ment through the bore 29 while permitting the axle to rotate freely within the bearing structure. The counterweight 26 is disposed beneath the rotating axis of the axle 3| and comprises a body 35 representing a segment of a cylinder at the ends of which body, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, spheroidal projecting portions 36 occur.

The axle 35 projects oppositely from the lock rings 34 and there receive anti-friction bearing structures 31. These structures include cylindrical bearing cages 38 having an annular shoulder 36 adjacent their outer ends and a portion 40 protruding beyond the shoulder to extend into and to be preferably upset within a central opening 4| of a hub spider 42. The hub spiders 42, one of which is disposed at each end of the axle 3|, have a set of outwardly and radially flaring arms or webs 42' terminating in an annular fastening ring 43. The spiders 42 are detachably secured upon the ends of the axle 3| by means of U-shaped lock springs 44 which extend downwardly through openings 45 in one web of the hub and outwardly through a diametrically opposite set of openings 45 in a web at the opposite side of the hub. The springs 44 thus lock the hubs 42 on to the opposite ends of the axle and fit within a lock grove 46, one of which is formed around the body of the axle adjacent to each of its ends. A conical end point 41 is formed at each end of the axle beyond the position of the groove. This will tend to spread the lock spring 44 and to permit it to move to its seat in the lock groove 46 when the structure is assembled. Interposed between the lock spring 44 and the end of the bearing structure is a suitable washer 48 which will maintain the bearing elements in a set longitudinal position.

Suitably secured to the ring 43 of the hub 42 such as by spot welding is a wheel shell 49, one of which is disposed at each end of the axle. The shells combine to provide a substantially complete enclosure for the counterweight 26 and the bearing structure. The shells may be of Various forms, but are shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings as having a spheroidal end portion 59 terminating in a cylindrical tire portion 5|. The cylindrical portion 5| is disposed with its axis horizontal and circumscribesthe counterweight 26 and the space into which it might move while swinging upon the central axis of the axle 3|. The cylindrical portion may be formed with corrugations 52 which might serve as a tread for the base. It is preferable that the opposite end corrugations receive tires 53 upon which the base directly rolls. These tires may have a continuous circular tread surface or may be formed with a plurality of flat tread faces 54 as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, and for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The contiguous edges of the two shells 49 at inner edges of the cylindrical portions 5| are formed with inturned flanges 54' which are spaced apart as indicated at 55, the distance of the space 55 being sufficient to accommodate the thickness of the neck 28 of the rod 24. Thus the rod may pass between the two shell members 49 49 while permitting the shell members to have independent rotation with relation to each other and with relation to the counterweight member 26. The counterweight 26 along its median portion is formed with a groove 58 which accommodates the inturned flanges 54' of the shells 49 and at the same time provides a finish for the structure so that when the counterweight is seen through the groove a finishing plate of circular form 59 will be observed agree ing in material and finish with the shells. Suitable countersunk screws 66 hold the member 59 in position. A portion of the space 55 occurring adjacent to the top of the shells is covered by a fitting 6| which has a hub into which the standard [4 extends. This hub terminates in an outwardly flaring flange 62 which covers the space 55 under which the ends of the finishing plate terminate and materially aids in obstructing a view of the interior of the shells and the counterweight.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, substantially hemisspherical shells 63 are provided as substitutes for the shells 63, 49 previously described. The hemispherical shells may be formed with a tread portion 64. This tread is described on an arc concentric to the diameter of a sphere of which the two hemispherical shells 63 are formed. In this construction the bearings and the shell mountings are substantially identical with that described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4. This counterweight, however, represents a complete segment of a sphere. This tends to maintain the base in equilibrium at all times and to insure that the column ID will be restored to an upright position irrespective of the direction in which any force has been applied to swing it from that position. The structure, however, is mobile since the shell elements 63 may rotate upon the axle 3| as previously described.

In operation of the present invention the column I6 may be constructed and assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 2; as in Figures 5 and 6 or of any other desired design. The base is assembled by placing the axle 3| through the bore 29 in the counterweight arm 25 together with the anti-friction bearing structure 30 and then locking the axle in position by the lock rings 34. The shell elements 49 or the shell elements 63 are completely assembled with the hubs 42 carrying the bearing structures 31 and their sleeves 38. The lock wires 44 are mounted with relation to the hubs and the complete assembly is then forced on to the axle until the pointed end 41 of the axle has expanded the lock wires 44 so that these wires may register with the annular groove 46 and be locked therein. Shell structure 49 will thus be locked in a rotatable supported position on the end of the axle. By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the flanges 54' carried by the contiguous edges of members 5| set into a channel member 52 carried by the counterweight 26. The counterweight only represents a segment of a sphere while the channel member is substantially circular having a split in its circumference to accommodate the member 24. These free end portions of the member 59 may be flexed so that the wheel shell can move to an embracing position with relation to the channel as shown in Fig. 1.

The shells 49 may then be fitted with rubber tires 53. These tires may be made of other material. These tires are stretched and placed in position. When the tread portion of the tires is entirely circular it will be evident that the assembled base may rotate freely over a supporting surface. This has its disadvantages, however, in that when the supporting surface is irregular or inclined there is a tendency for the base to continue to roll. If tires are used having flat faces 54 it will be recognized that unless manual effort is applied the base will remain standing on the fiat surfaces of the tires. This insures that the structure will remain in a set place until it is desired'to move it.

In the form of the device shown in Figures and 6 the base is spherical thus the standard H3 may be swung in the vertical plane represented by the median space 55 between the shell elements, or may be swung in any other direction and due to the balance of the counterweight the standard will be restored to an upright position.

It will thus be seen that the present invention is decidedly simple in construction, having relatively few parts provided by self-contained means whereby they may be quickly assembled and held together and being of a construction which will provide'a mobile ashtray having material advantages over other ash trays of the column type now in use.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes .might be made in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention,- what I claim and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A mobile, self-righting support including an upright standard, a counterweight to which the lower end of said standard is secured, said counterweight having a peripheral recess, an axle journaled at its central portion, through said counterweight and held against axial movement relative thereto, a rotating supporting base including complementary, substantially hemispherical shells on the axle ends and enclosing the counterweight with the edges of their adjacent ends spaced apart to form an annular channel through which the standard extends, each shell being formed in a single piece with a tread portion having a flange extending inwardly into the recess of the counterweight, and each shell having therein an axial bearing structure secured to its closed end and supporting one end of the axle, and an annularly shaped finishing plate within the recess of the counterweight and bridging the space between the shells at opposite sides of the standard, said finishing plate having outwardly extending flanges along its sides which encompass the inwardly extending flanges of the shells, said finishing platebe- EDGAR H. BARBE'. 

